It has amazed me, really, the amount of emotion generated by one small being. I love them all, in so many ways, and have been lucky enough to structure my life so it includes borrowed grandbabies and elders when I haven’t had any closer to hand. I recommend the practice. My sister, Martha, has dear babies, too, and she calls them her “grandlings”. Other grandparents-in-waiting might adopt that method as well. I suspect many of the shining elders remembered as inspiration were in that position.

Some things are hard to explain, and the rush of emotion that hits me when I walk into the Y preschool to sing for my babies and the rush of emotion engendered by Menolly’s face have become more noticeable at this stage in my life. I cry…